tropical grasslands by: courtney m adele f. temperature average annual temperature 17°c winter...
TRANSCRIPT
Temperature
Average annual temperature 17°C Winter temperature 15°C Summer Temperature 20°C (Living in the
Environment)
Picture (RSI Version)
Plants
The plants of the tropical grasslands are very specific because they need to stand up to very long dry periods. Such as Shrubs, grass, and bushes.
They have long roots to reach deep into the ground. Think bark to resists burns from fire. The tree leaves also fall off in the winter to save
water. Grass grows from the bottom up so that the grazers
do not damage the root (Grasslands Habitat)
Adaptations (Plants)
The grasses have adaptations that keep animals from eating them
Some of the grass is sharp or bitter tasting for some animals, but not to others.
The benefit of this is that different animals have food to eat.
Different animals eat different parts of the plants.
(Grasslands Habitat)
Animals
There are thousands of organisms that live in the grasslands.
They all co-exist in that they eat at different times of the day.
Also they have preferences of what kind of food they like to eat.
There are 16 different herbivores in the grasslands. (Grasslands Habitat)
Animals cont.
Some of the carnivores are lions, leopards, cheetahs, jackals and hyenas.
Most of the animals can
go days without water. These animals live here
because they can survive
the long dry months. (Grasslands Habitat)
Adaptations (Animals)
Most of the animals have long legs/wings so that they can make it on long migration routes.
Many burrow under ground to avoid the heat or raise their young.
The tropical grasslands are great for birds of prey like hawks. Since it is so open the birds can see their prey from miles away.
(Grasslands Habitat)
Adaptations (Animals) cont.
Animals don’t sweat so they don’t lose body heat.
Instead they have to lose it through panting or through large areas of skin like elephants ears.
(Grasslands Habitat)
Biomass Pyramid Of The Tropical Grasslands
Primary Producers
Bacteria
Herbivores
Giraffes, Rhinos, and Warthogs,
Second Carnivores
Ground squirrels, Mice, and Moles.
Top Carnivores Lions, Tigers
Leopards
Biodiversity
The tropical grasslands have a high number of diversity.
The organisms range from bacteria all the way up to elephants. (Grasslands)
Bibliography
Sam. "Grasslands." World Biomes. 2000. 16 Oct. 2008 <http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/grasslands.htm>.
"Grasslands Habitat." Defenders of the Wildlife. 19 Oct. 2008 <http://http://www.defenders.org/wildlife_and_habitat/habitat/grasslands.php>.
Miller Jr, G. T. Living in the Environment 12th edition. Brooks Cole. RSI Version 2.0. 2005 Riverside Scientific. 17 October 2008.